Cuboid Collapsible Box Having a Center Web

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a cuboid collapsible box which comprises walls ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ) and a bottom closure, having bottom closure tabs ( 10, 12, 13, 14 ) and a center web configured by web areas ( 20, 21 ), and to a cut for said box. The aim of the invention is to provide a collapsible box whose center web is reliably protected from being displaced. For this purpose, retaining surfaces ( 18, 19 ) are provided on the lateral bottom closure tabs ( 10, 12 ) on the ends facing away from the lateral walls ( 1, 3 ). The front and the rear bottom closure tab ( 11, 13 ) have notched surfaces ( 26, 27 ) and the notched surfaces ( 26, 27 ) rest on the retaining surfaces ( 18, 19 ) from below and on the lateral bottom closure tabs ( 10, 12 ) from above.

The present invention relates to a cuboid collapsible box comprising afront wall and a rear wall, comprising a first side wall and a secondside wall, the side walls respectively being pivotably connected to thefront wall and the rear wall to form an annular main body, comprising alid closure tab pivotably connected to the rear wall, comprising a frontbottom closure tab, which is pivotably connected to the front wall, anda rear bottom closure tab, which is pivotably connected to the rearwall, comprising a first lateral bottom closure tab, which is pivotablyconnected to the first side wall, and a second lateral bottom closuretab, which is pivotably connected to the second side wall, the bottomclosure tabs forming a bottom closure which runs perpendicular to thefirst side wall, to the front wall, to the second side wall and to therear wall, the first lateral bottom closure tab being pivotablyconnected to the front bottom closure tab and the second lateral bottomclosure tab being pivotably connected to the rear bottom closure tab,comprising two web surfaces, which form a center web and are pivotablyconnected to those edges of two opposing bottom closure tabs which arefacing away from the side walls, and comprising support surfaces, whichextend in the plane of the bottom closure and the side edges of whichbear against the side edges of the web surfaces. The inventionadditionally relates to a collapsible box blank for the manufacture of acollapsible box of this type.

Collapsible boxes are used in particular in the pharmaceutical sectorfor the packaging of medicines or the like. Since they contribute to thecosts of the product contained in them, they should comprise littlematerial and be simple to produce. It is additionally desirable that thecollapsible boxes should be supplied as already pre-glued blanks andthat they should be able to be unfolded, as automatically as possible,only directly prior to the filling, so as to limit the volume ofpackaging material in the transport thereof and, at the same time,minimize the handling steps in the filling operation.

From ECMA Code 6020 (see “THE ECMA CODE of FOLDING CARTON STYLES”,published by the ECMA (European Carton Makers Association) ReprintJanuary 2000), a cuboid collapsible box having a lid closure and abottom closure formed out of four bottom closure tabs is known. In apre-glued blank of this type, two adjacent bottom closure tabs arerespectively pivotably connected to each other, so that the bottomclosure is oriented perpendicular to the side walls when the blank isopened out. A drawback with this collapsible box is, however, that theinterior has just a single chamber and is not divided into part-volumes.It is thus not possible to accommodate two different products or twobatches separate from each other in a collapsible box of this type.

A dual-chamber collapsible box is known from ECMA Code F1013, but it isvery material-intensive and awkward to handle. In particular, when thepartly glued blank is unfolded, the bottom closure is not automaticallyformed, so that further handling steps are necessary.

The present invention is based on a cuboid collapsible box as is knownfrom DE 102 49 497 A1. The collapsible box which is disclosed therecomprises a front and a rear wall and two side walls, which arepivotably connected to each other to form an annular main body. Attachedto the top edge of the rear wall is a lid closure tab, which, togetherwith lateral dust tabs, forms the lid closure. A front and a rear, andtwo lateral bottom closure tabs, form a bottom closure. To the front andrear bottom closure tabs, a web surface is respectively pivotablyconnected, in the unfolded state the web surfaces forming a center web,running parallel to the front and rear walls, by which the box volume isdivided into two part-volumes. When a partly glued blank of such acollapsible box is unfolded, both the bottom and the center webautomatically unfold, the front and rear bottom closure tabsrespectively having a support surface, the side edges of which bearrespectively against the side edges of the web surfaces.

A drawback with a collapsible box of this type is that the bottomclosure and the center web are inadequately secured after the unfolding,so that, in particular, a pivoting of the center web is not securelyprevented. The center web should be prevented from pivoting out of thevertical, however, as this would hinder a reliable automatic filling ofthe part-chambers of the collapsible box.

A further drawback of the collapsible box according to DE 102 49 497 A1is that the center web runs parallel to the front and rear walls,whereby the second, rear part-chamber is poorly accessible for the user.

Starting from this prior art, the object of the present invention is toprovide a collapsible box, and a blank for the latter, in which thecenter web is reliably secured against pivoting.

This object is achieved by the fact that the web surfaces and thesupport surfaces are connected to the lateral bottom closure tabs, thaton the lateral bottom closure tabs, at the ends facing away from theside walls, retaining surfaces are provided, that the front and rearbottom closure tabs have latching surfaces, and that the latchingsurfaces bear from below against the retaining surfaces and from aboveagainst the lateral bottom closure tabs.

The latching surfaces bearing from below against the retaining surfacesand from above against the lateral bottom closure tabs have the effect,together with the retaining surfaces, that the bottom closure as a wholeis pretensioned in the upward direction. Since a movement of the supportsurfaces in the direction of the side edge of the opposite web surfaceis linked to an upward movement of the bottom closure, the pretensioningleads to a firmer engagement of the side edges of the support surfaceswith the side edges of the web surfaces. The web surfaces are thusreliably secured against pivoting by the support surfaces. Moreover, thelatching surfaces rest on the respectively opposite front and rearbottom closure tabs and thereby increase the stability of the bottom.

A further advantage of the collapsible box according to the inventionlies in the fact that the center web runs perpendicular to the front andrear walls. The products are hence, with the front sides, visible to theuser and are immediately removable in a user-friendly manner. At thesame time, the possibility exists of placing different ranges of goodsin the compartments.

Preferably, a recess which opens toward the front bottom closure tab isprovided between the first lateral bottom closure tab and the retainingsurface, and a recess which opens toward the rear bottom closure tab isprovided between the second lateral bottom closure tab and the retainingsurface. When the latching surfaces, as the blank is unfolded, are slidinto the recesses, the latching surfaces and the lateral bottom closuretabs are effectively prevented by the rigidity of the box material fromlying in one plane, thereby producing a sufficiently strong, upwardlydirected pretensioning of the bottom closure.

Furthermore, it is preferred that that edge of the latching surfaceprovided on the front bottom closure tab which is facing away from thefirst side wall and that edge of the latching surface provided on therear bottom closure tab which is facing away from the second side wallare beveled. The effect of this is that, as the blank is unfolded, therespectively opposite front or rear bottom closure tab is forced underthe latching surface and the bottom closure is automatically formed inthe desired manner.

It is further preferred that the web surfaces bear one against the otherin an overlap region. Since the web surfaces are connected by a fold tothe lateral bottom closure tabs, they tend in principle to pivot backout of the secured state into the plane of the bottom closure. If theweb surfaces bear one against the other, they are mutually supporting,so that a vertical position of the center web is additionally assured.

In a further preferred embodiment, the web surfaces have rounded edgesin order that, as the blank is unfolded, the web surfaces runninginitially in one plane with the lateral bottom closure tab do not becomewedged.

Furthermore, the support surfaces can have rounded edges, so that, asthe blank is unfolded, these can push against the side edges of the websurfaces without having to be strongly pivoted out of the plane of thelateral bottom closure tabs. Additionally, this facilitates theautomatic unfolding.

Preferably, the support surfaces are formed by punch-outs in the websurfaces, whereby a web surface extending, as far as possible, over theentire width of the lateral bottom closure tab can be realized in asimple manner.

For a high stability of the bottom closure, it is additionally preferredthat the first and second lateral bottom closure tabs respectively havepivotable connecting tabs, which are glued to the front and rear bottomclosure tabs respectively.

In order that, in the unfolding operation, the bottom closurestraightens up without becoming wedged, it is additionally preferredthat that edge of the front bottom closure tab which is facing towardthe first lateral bottom closure tab forms an angle of 45° with thebottom edge of the front wall, and that that edge of the rear bottomclosure tab which is facing toward the second lateral bottom closure tabforms an angle of 45° with the bottom edge of the rear wall.

The above object is achieved, moreover, by a collapsible box blank asclaimed in claim 10, preferred embodiments being described in thefollowing subclaims. With regard to the advantages associated herewith,reference is made to that which has already been stated with respect tothe collapsible box.

The present invention is described below with reference to a drawingrepresenting merely one preferred illustrative embodiment. In thedrawing,

FIG. 1 shows a blank according to the invention of a cuboid collapsiblebox,

FIG. 2 shows a collapsible box according to the invention in perspectiverepresentation,

FIG. 3 shows the bottom closure tabs of a collapsible box according tothe invention separated from one another in perspective representation,

FIG. 4 shows the bottom closure tabs of a collapsible box according tothe invention in partially connected and unfolded setting, and

FIG. 5 shows the bottom closure tabs of a collapsible box according tothe invention in connected and unfolded setting, the web surfaces notbeing represented.

FIG. 1 represents a collapsible box blank according to the invention fora cuboid collapsible box shown in FIG. 2. The blank comprises a firstside wall 1, a front wall 2, a second side wall 3 and a rear wall 4. Thewalls are respectively pivotably connected along their side edges to theadjacent walls. A tab 5 is pivotably connected to that side edge of thefirst side wall 1 which lies opposite the front wall 2.

To the respective bottom edges 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the first side wall 1,the front wall 2, the second side wall 3 and the rear wall 4 there arepivotably connected a first lateral bottom closure tab 10, a frontbottom closure tab 11, a second lateral bottom closure tab 12 and a rearbottom closure tab 13.

The lateral bottom closure tabs 10, 12 have pivotable connecting tabs14, 15, via which the first lateral bottom closure tab 10 can be gluedto the front bottom closure tab 11, and the second lateral bottomclosure tab 12 to the rear bottom closure tab 13. In this, in thisregard, preferred illustrative embodiment, those edges 16, 17 of thefront and rear bottom closure tabs 11, 13 which are facing toward theconnecting tabs 14, 15 respectively form an angle α of 45° with thebottom edges 7, 9 of the front wall 2 and rear wall 4.

On the lateral bottom closure tabs 10, 12 there are provided retainingsurfaces 18, 19, which are disposed at the ends facing away from theside walls 1, 3 and run in the plane of the lateral bottom closuresurfaces 10, 12. The retaining surfaces 18, 19 are shown in shadedrepresentation, purely for the sake of clarity. Apart from that, theyare rigidly connected to the lateral bottom closure tabs 10, 12.

On those edges of the lateral bottom closure tabs 10, 12 which arefacing away from the side walls 1, 2 there are provided pivotable websurfaces 20, 21. Likewise on those edges of the lateral bottom closuretabs 10, 12 which are facing away from the side walls 1, 2 there aredisposed support surfaces 22, 23, which are rigidly connected, however,to the bottom closure tabs 10, 12. In the, in this regard, preferredillustrative embodiment, the web surfaces 20, 21 and the supportsurfaces 22, 23 have rounded edges. Furthermore, the support surfaces22, 23 are formed by punch-outs in the web surfaces 20, 21.

Between the connecting tab 14 and thus the first lateral bottom closuretab 10 and the retaining surface 18, a recess 24 is provided which opensin the direction of the front bottom closure tab 11. In the same way,between the connecting tab 15 and thus the second lateral bottom closuretab 12 and the retaining surface 19, a recess 25 is provided, whichopens in the direction of the rear bottom closure tab 13. In the presentcase, the recesses 24, 25 are configured as slits between the retainingsurfaces 18, 19 and the connecting tabs 14, 15.

On the edge lying opposite the front wall 2, the front bottom closuretab 11 has a front latching surface 26. In the same way, on that edge ofthe rear bottom closure tab 13 which lies opposite the rear wall 4, arear latching surface 27 is provided. Here, the latching surfaces 26, 27are respectively rigidly connected to the bottom closure tabs 11, 13.

In the, in this regard, preferred illustrative embodiment, that edge 28of the front latching surface 26 which is facing away from the firstlateral bottom closure tab 10 is beveled. In precisely the same way,that edge 29 of the rear latching surface 27 which is facing away fromthe second lateral bottom closure tab 11 is beveled.

A lid closure tab 30 is pivotably connected to the top edge of the rearwall 4. Furthermore, on the top edges of the side walls 1, 3, pivotabledust tabs 31, 32 are provided.

In a collapsible box according to the invention produced from thepreviously described blank, the tab 5 is glued to the rear wall 4, sothat the latter is pivotably connected to the first side wall 1. As aresult, the walls 1, 2, 3 and 4 form a parallelogram-like, annular mainbody. Furthermore, the first lateral bottom closure tab 10 and the frontbottom closure tab 11 are pivotably connected to each other by theconnecting tab 14, the pivot axis running along the edge 16, which isangled at 45°. Analogously, the second lateral bottom closure tab 12 andthe rear bottom closure tab 13 are connected.

If the parallelogram-like main body is folded flat, the bottom closuretabs 10, 11, 12 and 13 fold upward with the web surfaces 20, 21 and cometo bear against the walls 1, 2, 3 and 4. In turn, in the opening-outoperation, the bottom closure tabs 10, 11, 12 and 13 are pivoteddownward. The web surfaces 20, 21 hereupon enter initially with theirbeveled edges into bearing contact with each other and are pivotedupward relative to the lateral bottom closure tabs 10, 12. If the walls1, 2, 3 and 4 form a rectangle in the opened-out state, the bottomclosure tabs 10, 11, 12 and 13 run in a plane perpendicular to the walls1, 2, 3 and 4. The web surfaces 20, 21 run, in turn, perpendicular tothe bottom closure tabs and form a center web, so that the box isdivided into two part-volumes, the center web running perpendicular tothe front and rear walls 2, 4. Furthermore, in an overlap region 35, theweb surfaces 20, 21 bear one against the other and are thus mutuallysupporting.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, in the opened-out state the side edges 33,34 of the web surfaces 20, 21 come into bearing contact with the edgesof the support surface 22, 23. Provided that the bottom closure tabs 10,11, 12 and 13 are pretensioned such that they pivot upward, the edges33, 34 of the web surfaces 20, 21 are pressed against the edges of thesupport surfaces 22, 23. As a result, the web surfaces 20, 21 aresecured in their perpendicular setting and the center web thus remainsin the desired setting.

While FIG. 3 shows the bottom closure tabs 10, 11, 12 and 13 fullyseparated from one another, in FIG. 4 their setting relative to oneanother in the opened-out state of the collapsible box is represented.FIG. 5 shows the bottom closure formed by the bottom closure tabs 10,11, 12 and 13, the web surfaces 20, 21 having been omitted for the sakeof clarity. It can be seen from FIG. 5, in particular, that the frontlatching surface 26 bears from below against the retaining surface 18and from above against the first lateral bottom closure tab 10. In thesame way, the rear latching surface 27 bears from below against theretaining surface 19 and from above against the second lateral bottomclosure tab 12. Here, the latching surfaces 26, 27 are respectivelyinserted in the recesses 24, 25 formed in the lateral bottom closuretabs 10, 12.

The inserted latching surfaces 26, 27 produce an upward pretensioning ofthe bottom closure tabs 10, 11, 12 and 13. As already described, thispretensioning in turn brings about the securement of the web surfaces20, 21 by means of the support surfaces 22, 23. Furthermore, thelatching surfaces 26, 27 lead to an increased stability of the bottomclosure, since they additionally prevent possible downward pivoting ofthe bottom closure tabs 10, 11, 12 and 13.

Since, in the, in this regard, preferred illustrative embodiment, theedges 28, 29 of the latching surfaces 26, 27 are beveled, the latchingsurfaces 26, 27, in the opening-out operation, cannot become wedged withthe respectively opposite front or rear bottom closure tab 11, 13. Theeffect of this, moreover, is that, as the blank is unfolded, therespectively opposite front or rear bottom closure tab 11, 13 is forcedunder the respective latching surface 26, 27 and the bottom closure isautomatically formed in the desired manner.

It can additionally be seen from FIG. 5 that the first support surface22 rests partly on the retaining surface 19 of the second lateral bottomclosure tab 12 and partly on the rear bottom closure tab 13. In the sameway, the second support surface 23 rests on the retaining surface 18 ofthe first lateral bottom closure tab 10 and on the front bottom closuretab 11.

The collapsible box according to the invention thus has a firmly securedcenter web, which is disposed, moreover, perpendicular to the front andrear walls 2, 4. Products contained in the collapsible box are hence,with the front side, visible to the user.

1. A cuboid collapsible box comprising a front wall (2) and a rear wall(4), comprising a first side wall (I) and a second side wall (3), theside walls (1, 3) respectively being pivotably connected to the frontwall (2) and the rear wall (4) to form an annular main body, comprisinga lid closure tab (30) pivotably connected to the rear wall (4),comprising a front bottom closure tab (11), which is pivotably connectedto the front wall (2), and a rear bottom closure tab (13), which ispivotably connected to the rear wall (4), comprising a first lateralbottom closure tab (10), which is pivotably connected to the first sidewall (1), and a second lateral bottom closure tab (12), which ispivotably connected to the second side wall (3), the bottom closure tabs(10, 11, 12, 13) forming a bottom closure which runs perpendicular tothe first side wall (1), to the front wall (2), to the second side wall(3) and to the rear wall (4), the first lateral bottom closure tab (10)being pivotably connected to the front bottom closure tab (11), thesecond lateral bottom closure tab (12) being pivotably connected to therear bottom closure tab (13), comprising two web surfaces (20, 21),which form a center web and are pivotably connected to those edges oftwo opposing bottom closure tabs which are facing away from the sidewalls (1, 3), and comprising support surfaces (22, 23), which extend inthe plane of the bottom closure and the side edges of which bear againstthe side edges (33, 34) of the web surfaces (20, 21), characterized inthat the web surfaces (20, 21) and the support surfaces (22, 23) areconnected to the lateral bottom closure tabs (10, 12), in that on thelateral bottom closure tabs (10, 12), at the ends facing away from theside walls (1, 3), retaining surfaces (18, 19) are provided, in that thefront and rear bottom closure tabs (11, 13) have latching surfaces (26,27), and in that the latching surfaces (26, 27) bear from below againstthe retaining surfaces (18, 19) and from above against the lateralbottom closure tabs (10, 12).
 2. The collapsible box as claimed in claim1, characterized in that a recess (24) which opens toward the frontbottom closure tab (11) is provided between the first lateral bottomclosure tab (10) and the retaining surface (18), and in that a recess(25) which opens toward the rear bottom closure tab (13) is providedbetween the second lateral bottom closure tab (12) and the retainingsurface (19).
 3. The collapsible box as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that that edge (28) of the latching surface (26)provided on the front bottom closure tab (11) which is facing away fromthe first side wall (1) and that edge (29) of the latching surface (27)provided on the rear bottom closure tab (13) which is facing away fromthe second side wall are beveled.
 4. The collapsible box as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the web surfaces (20, 21) bear oneagainst the other in an overlap region (35).
 5. The collapsible box asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the web surfaces (20, 21) haverounded edges (33, 34).
 6. The collapsible box as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the support surfaces (22, 23) have rounded edges.7. The collapsible box as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thesupport surfaces (22, 23) are formed by punch-outs in the web surfaces(20, 21).
 8. The collapsible box as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat the lateral bottom closure tabs (10, 12) have pivotable connectingtabs (14, 15).
 9. The collapsible box as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that that edge (16) of the front bottom closure tab(11) which is facing toward the first lateral bottom closure tab (10)forms an angle of 45° with the bottom edge (7) of the front wall (2),and in that that edge (17) of the rear bottom closure tab (13) which isfacing toward the second lateral bottom closure tab (12) forms an angleof 45° with the bottom edge (9) of the rear wall (4).
 10. A collapsiblebox blank for the manufacture of a cuboid collapsible box, comprising afirst side wall (1), to the one side edge of which a front wall (2) ispivotably connected, comprising a second side wall (3), which ispivotably connected to a side edge of the front wall (2), comprising arear wall (4), which is pivotably connected to a side edge of the secondside wall (3), comprising a front bottom closure tab (11), which ispivotably connected to the bottom edge (7) of the front wall (2), and arear bottom closure tab (13), which is pivotably connected to the bottomedge (9) of the rear wall (4), comprising a first lateral bottom closuretab (10), which is pivotably connected to the bottom edge (6) of thefirst side wall (1), and a second lateral bottom closure tab (12), whichis pivotably connected to the bottom edge (8) of the second side wall(3), comprising two web surfaces (20, 21), which form a center web andare pivotably connected to those edges of two opposing bottom closuretabs (10, 11) which are facing away from the side walls (1, 3), andcomprising support surfaces (22, 23) provided on the bottom closure tabs(10, 12), characterized in that the web surfaces (20, 21) and thesupport surfaces (22, 23) are provided on those edges of the lateralbottom closure tabs (10, 12) which are facing away from the side walls(1, 3), in that on the lateral bottom closure tabs (10, 12), on theedges lying opposite the side walls (1, 3), retaining surfaces (18, 19)are provided, in that the front bottom closure tab (11) has on the edgelying opposite the front wall (2) a latching surface (26), and the rearbottom closure tab (13) has on the edge lying opposite the rear wall (4)a latching surface (27), in that a recess (24) which opens toward thefront bottom closure tab (11) is provided between the first lateralbottom closure tab (10) and the retaining surface (18), and in that arecess (25) which opens toward the rear bottom closure tab (13) isprovided between the second lateral bottom closure tab (12) and theretaining surface (19).
 11. The collapsible box blank as claimed inclaim 10, characterized in that that edge (28) of the latching surface(26) provided on the front bottom closure tab (11) which is facing awayfrom the first lateral bottom closure tab (10) and that edge (29) of thelatching surface (27) provided on the rear bottom closure tab (13) whichis facing away from the second first lateral bottom closure tab (12) arebeveled.
 12. The collapsible box blank as claimed in claim 10,characterized in that the web surfaces (20, 21) have rounded edges (33,34).
 13. The collapsible box blank as claimed in claim 10, characterizedin that the support surfaces (22, 23) have rounded edges.
 14. Thecollapsible box blank as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that thesupport surfaces (22, 23) are formed by punch-outs in the web surfaces(20, 21).
 15. The collapsible box blank as claimed in claim 10,characterized in that the lateral bottom closure tabs (10, 12) havepivotable connecting tabs (14, 15).
 16. The collapsible box blank asclaimed in claim 10, characterized in that that edge (16) of the frontbottom closure tab (11) which is facing toward the first lateral bottomclosure tab (10) forms an angle of 45° with the bottom edge (7) of thefront wall (2), and in that that edge (9) of the rear bottom closure tab(13) which is facing toward the second lateral bottom closure tab (12)forms an angle of 45° with the bottom edge of the rear wall.
 17. Thecollapsible box as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that that edge(28) of the latching surface (26) provided on the front bottom closuretab (11) which is facing away from the first side wall (1) and that edge(29) of the latching surface (27) provided on the rear bottom closuretab (13) which is facing away from the second side wall are beveled.